Notes
*Denotes prerequisite course.
**Some requirements may be fulfilled via satisfactory achievement on advances placement tests or Wilkes’ challenge examinations.
***Eight credits of Organic I/II lecture and Organic I/II labs CHM 231 /CHM 233 /CHM 232 /CHM 234 may be taken instead of four credits of CHM 233 /CHM 235
The Professional Program is four years and leads to the Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) degree. Graduates of the program are eligible for state examination to become licensed pharmacists after completing appropriate internship hours. The four years of education consist of three years of in-class (i.e., lecture, laboratory, discussion group) introductory pharmacy experiences and one final year of advanced experiential education.
Admission to the Professional Program (Enrollment limit: 62)
To be admitted into the Professional Program of the School of Pharmacy, a student must have either enrolled in and successfully completed the Pre-Pharmacy Guaranteed Seat Program at Wilkes University as outlined above or have submitted a successful application to the School of Pharmacy.
I. Admission through the Pre-Pharmacy Guaranteed Seat Program
Students enrolled in the Wilkes University Pre-Pharmacy Guaranteed Seat Program who meet all of the following conditions are directly admitted to the Professional Program. As a matter of record, PPGS students are required to enter their information into PharmCas during the sophomore year and are responsible for all associated fees with this third party platform.
- Students must complete four semesters as a full-time pre-pharmacy student and complete all prerequisite courses within 2 years. All prerequisites must be completed by the end of the spring semester prior to admission.
- A maximum of 8 credits for prerequisite courses may be transferred to Wilkes University while enrolled in the pre-pharmacy program. The Registrar Office will determine course equivalency for transferred courses. The remaining prerequisite courses must be completed at Wilkes University. Prerequisite courses taken, for those entering the Professional Program in fall 2026, must include 8 credits of general chemistry, 8 credits of organic chemistry OR 4 credits of Essentials of Organic Chemistry at Wilkes University,4 credits of general biology I with lab, 8 credits of anatomy and physiology I and II, 3 credits of precalculus or higher calculus, 3 credits of elementary statistics, and 3 credits of oral communications. High school advanced placement test scores or dual enrollment courses may be accepted in fulfillment of some of these requirements. These courses will not be counted in the 8 credit transfer maximum for prerequisite courses. The Admissions Office can provide the list of eligibility requirements for AP credit. The Registrar Office will determine if a dual enrollment courses is equivalent to a Wilkes course.
- Students must achieve a prerequisite cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better in the prerequisite courses listed above by the end of spring in your fourth semester (sophomore year). Grades for the prerequisite courses transferred to Wilkes University will be included in the school of pharmacy prerequisite cumulative GPA but only course credit will appear on the Wilkes transcript.
- Failure to achieve a prerequisite cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better in the prerequisite courses listed above by the end the spring in your fourth semester (sophomore year) will result in forfeiting the guaranteed seat.
- Students must earn grades of 2.0 or greater in all prerequisite courses. One prerequisite course grade of less than 2.0 may be repeated. If the course is repeated at Wilkes the new grade will be used to calculate overall and prerequisite GPA. If the course is repeated at another approved institution the new grade will only be used in the prerequisite GPA calculation by the school of pharmacy, but only credits will appear on the official University transcript. The original grade will remain on the transcript for University purposes including overall GPA calculation. Prerequisite courses must be recorded with a grade of 2.0 or greater by the end of the spring semester prior to admission. Earning a grade of less than 2.0 in a prerequisite course that cannot be repeated by the end of the spring semester prior to admission will result in forfeiture of the guaranteed seat.
- Earning two or more prerequisite course grades less than 2.0, even if one is successfully repeated, will result in forfeiting the guaranteed seat.
- Students must maintain a cumulative overall GPA of 3.0 or better in all courses taken. Although non-prerequisite course credit hours may be transferred to Wilkes from other colleges, students should be aware that grades do not transfer for these courses. Grades for the General Education courses transferred to Wilkes University will not be included in the school of pharmacy overall cumulative GPA and only course credit will appear on the Wilkes transcript.
- Failure to achieve a cumulative overall GPA of 3.0 or better in all courses taken through the spring of the fourth semester (sophomore year) will result in forfeiting the guaranteed seat.
- Students should contact their advisor and the Associate Dean of Admissions and Student Affairs if they plan to complete ALL prerequisite courses and all except two General Education courses by the end of your spring semester in the first year of college, or if extenuating, non-academic, circumstances are present that will prevent completion the program within two years. The advisor and the Associate Dean of Admissions and Student Affairs will discuss the appeal process and possibly obtain a modified Pre-Pharmacy Guaranteed Seat contract detailing the conditions for admission.
- Students must maintain the highest levels of academic and personal honesty and be free from criminal or drug/alcohol related offenses throughout the pre-pharmacy and pharmacy program.
- Students caught in the act of cheating, collusion, plagiarism or other and all acts in violation of the Wilkes University policy on Intellectual Responsibility and Plagiarism or the Student Code of Conduct may be subject to dismissal from the Pre-pharmacy Guaranteed Seat Program.
- Students must receive a favorable recommendation from your pre-pharmacy advisor at the end of your spring sophomore semester. Failure to receive a favorable recommendation from your pre-pharmacy advisor will result in forfeiting the guaranteed seat.
- Students must complete a central database application profile, PharmCAS (as identified and instructed by the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy) and submit all required documentation and pay the applicable fees during the sophomore year.
- Students must meet all the criteria set forth in the Technical Standards Document.
- Failure to meet the criteria set forth in the Technical Standards Document may delay or prevent graduation from the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy.
A maximum of two uncompleted General Education Curriculum requirements will be considered for admission into the Professional Program in Pharmacy. Pre-Pharmacy Guaranteed Seat students with more than two uncompleted General Education courses may appeal to the Student Affairs Committee of the School of Pharmacy for consideration. There is limited room in the Pharmacy Curriculum to complete General Education requirements. General Education Curriculum requirements may be completed at other accredited colleges or universities and transferred into Wilkes University with proper approval.
Students in the Wilkes University Pre-Pharmacy Guaranteed Seat Program who do not meet these conditions must compete for available seats in the Professional Program through the application process. Only applications submitted through PharmCas will be considered.
II. Admission through the Application Process
Faculty reserve the right to select from among the applicants who will have the best opportunity to complete the curriculum within four years and have productive professional lives. Admission is based upon the student’s academic ability as reflected in pre-requisite and overall GPA, grades from Pre-Pharmacy courses, number of courses repeated, typical course loads, and total academic career. If applicable, the committee will also consider the most recent academic performance for those non-traditional students returning to college life after a hiatus. The Statement of Purpose, references and results from the interview are also included in the evaluation of the applicant. Throughout the academic year, professional applicants will be reviewed and invited to interview by the Admissions Committee.
The number of seats in the professional program available through the application process is dependent on the number of Pre-Pharmacy Guaranteed Seat students able to claim a seat. A portion of remaining seats is available on an academically competitive basis to Wilkes Students with overall and prerequisite GPAs above a 2.5, and a portion of seats is available to direct professional applicants that are non-Wilkes transfer students with overall and prerequisite GPAs above a 2.5 on a competitive basis. To be classified as a Wilkes student, the student 1) must complete and be enrolled at Wilkes University for two full-time consecutive semesters before enrollment in the Professional Program AND 2) must complete 15 credits of prerequisite courses at Wilkes University by the end of the spring semester prior to enrollment in the Professional Program. Failure to meet both of these criteria will result in classification as a “professional applicant.”
Applicant should review the Technical Standards set forth by the School of Pharmacy, which are available at https://www.wilkes.edu/academics/nesbitt-school-of-pharmacy/pharmd-program/technical-standards.aspx.
These Technical Standards describe non-academic abilities that are required for admission to, continuation in, and graduation from the School of Pharmacy to obtain a Pharm.D degree.
Pharmacy Professional Program - Minimum Admission Requirements
To be considered for admission to the Professional Program of the School of Pharmacy, the applicant
- should complete the Wilkes University General Education and prerequisite course requirements or have completed a baccalaureate degree. A maximum of two deficient General Education courses will be considered for admission into the pharmacy program. Students with more than two deficient General Education courses may appeal to the Student Affairs Committee of the School of Pharmacy for consideration.
- By the end of the spring semester prior to admission, Professional Program applicants must earn:
- a grade of C (2.0) or better in each of the Pharmacy Prerequisite Courses listed below. Prerequisite grades of less than 2.0 must be repeated and the higher grade will factor into the GPA.
- cumulative GPA of 2.5 or better for Pharmacy Prerequisite Courses listed below
- an overall GPA of 2.5 or better for all courses (Pharmacy Prerequisite, General Education, etc.)
- preferential consideration will be given to non-Wilkes professional applicant students with GPAs of 3.0 or higher;
- We will evaluate the grades of higher-level courses;
- Applications will be placed at a lower priority if grades less than 2.0 in prerequisite courses are remediated and recorded.
- Students repeating fewer than 4 or more prerequisite courses will be given preference during the application process. Students with 4 or more prerequisite courses should submit a supplemental statement sharing any relevant circumstances related to their academic performance.
- Repeating courses in which a grade above a 2.0 was earned will not factor into the GPA.
- Students must maintain the highest levels of academic and personal honesty and be free from criminal/drug-related offenses throughout the pharmacy program.
- Students caught in the act of cheating, collusion, plagiarism, or other and all acts in violation of the Wilkes University policy on Intellectual Responsibility and Plagiarism or the Student Code of Conduct maybe subject to dismissal from the Pharmacy program;
- Students will be required to submit, and clear per site requirements, various types of criminal background checks annually as specified by external practice sites. Violations may result in prevention or delays in graduation;
- must meet all the criteria set forth in the Technical Standards Document. Failure to meet the criteria set forth in the Technical Standards Document may delay or prevent graduation from the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy;
- must provide two completed recommendation forms;
- must submit a Statement of Purpose;
- must successfully complete the interview process;
- NOTE: Admission into the Professional Program in Pharmacy is competitive. Earning the minimum academic criteria necessary to submit an application does not in any way infer or promise an interview or admission into the program.
Pharmacy Professional Program - Prerequisite Courses for Studetn Entering Fall 2026
- Two semesters (8 credits) of General Chemistry with labs
- 4 credits of CHM 235 - Essentials of Organic Chemistry, and CHM 237 - Essentials of Organic Chemistry Lab, at Wilkes University OR Two semesters (8 credits) of Organic Chemistry I/II with Organic Chemistry I/II labs
- One semesters (4 credits) of General Biology with labs
- One semester (3 credits) of Pre-Calculus or higher level (ie Calculus)
- One semester (3 credits) of Statistics
- One semester (3 credits) of Oral Communications
III. Pharmacy Organization
Professional Standards
Students enrolled in the program of the School of Pharmacy are expected to endorse professional standards by subscribing to the Oath of the Pharmacist. Students are also expected to abide by the American Pharmacists Association’s Code of Ethics of the Profession.
Technical Standards
Students applying to and enrolling in the School of Pharmacy are expected to read, acknowledge, and understand the Technical Standards. These Technical Standards describe non-academic abilities that are required for admission to, continuation in, and graduation from the School of Pharmacy to obtain a Pharm.D. degree.
Progression Requirements
All students in the Professional Program of the School of Pharmacy are required to meet minimum standards for progression. See the Wilkes University Graduate Bulletin and the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy Student Handbook for additional details.
The Nesbitt School of Pharmacy (NSoP) does not replace grades for courses in which a 2.0 or higher passing grade has been earned. If the first time taking a course results in a passing grade of 2.0 or higher, this grade will be used to calculate prerequisite and overall GPA for all purposes in the NSoP. This policy applies to the pre-professional and professional programs.
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